The Microgeneration Certification Scheme and Product Eligibility List explained
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme MCS was launched in 2007 as a Government backed scheme, in April 2018, the scheme transferred to the MCS Service Company Limited, and the MCS Charitable Foundation. It is responsible for certifying Microgeneration installers and products and providing listings of these for consumers.
Ofgem publishes a Product Eligibility List (PEL) spreadsheet that shows the makes and models of renewable heating products which they have assessed as eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) based on information supplied by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). It is updated regularly and includes instructions about how to use it.
In September 2023 the MCS website contained just over 4,000 MCS qualified installers in the UK. The search function of the website used to find installers can be found here https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/
In September 2023 the MCS website also contained products that meet appropriate MCS standards, this list currently contains over 65,000 products. The search function of the website to find products can be found here https://mcscertified.com/product-directory/
The Product Eligibility List (PEL) is a shorter list which is published by Ofgem. This lists products that meet MCS standards, but are specifically air, ground and water source heat pumps as well as biomass boilers, eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). As of September 20, 2023 there were just under 3,000 products in these areas, all of which are recognised by the current Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). This scheme also requires an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to be prepared for the property in question and recommendations to be fulfilled and for the installer to be MCS qualified.
To search through the products available and recognised by the boiler upgrade scheme a downloadable excel can be found here https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/boiler-upgrade-scheme-product-eligibility
For further information on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme read our article Boiler Upgrade Scheme: changes to grant levels.
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